An Overview of

ATM Signalling
Carey Williamson
University of Calgary
1

Introduction
ATM

is a connection-oriented
protocol, which means that virtual
channels must be set up before
any data cells can be sent on the
channel
Connection setup is done using a
signalling protocol
2

ATM Signalling Protocol

Protocol

consists of two parts

User-Network Interface (UNI)
defines how hosts talk to switches
Network-Network

Interface (NNI)

defines how switches talk to other

switches
Cell

formats slightly different

3

ATM UNI Cell Format

GFC
VPI
VCI

VPI
VCI
VCI
PT
HEC
Payload
(48 bytes)
4

RES CLP

ATM NNI Cell Format

VPI
VPI
VCI

VPI
VCI
VCI
PT
HEC
Payload
(48 bytes)
5

RES CLP

ATM NNI Cell Format

VPI
VPI
VCI

VPI
VCI
VCI
PT
HEC
Payload
(48 bytes)
6

RES CLP

Basic Signalling Operation

Connection

requests proceed hopby-hop through the switches of the

network en route to destination
Switches perform Call Admission
Control (CAC) based on traffic
descriptor, QOS requirements, and
available resources at that switch
7

Basic Operation (Contd)

If

connection is acceptable, then

request is forwarded on,
otherwise reject is returned
If destination accepts connection,
then accept is returned
VPI and VCI assigned
8

Example: ATM Signalling

ATM
Network

Example: ATM Signalling

ATM Switch
10

Example: ATM Signalling

UNI

11

Example: ATM Signalling

NNI
UNI

12

Example: ATM Signalling

NNI
UNI

13

UNI

Example 1: ATM Signalling

CR

CR: Connection Request

14

Example 1: ATM Signalling

CR

CR: Connection Request

15

Example 1: ATM Signalling

CR

CR: Connection Request

16

Example 1: ATM Signalling

CR

CR: Connection Request

17

Example 1: ATM Signalling

CR

CR: Connection Request

18

Example 1: ATM Signalling

OK
(VCI = 12)

CR

CR: Connection Request

OK : Connection Accept
19

Example 1: ATM Signalling

OK
(VCI = 12)

CR
(VCI = 4)

CR: Connection Request

OK : Connection Accept
20

Example 1: ATM Signalling

OK
(VCI = 12)

CR

(VCI = 104)
(VCI = 4)

CR: Connection Request

OK : Connection Accept
21

Example 1: ATM Signalling

OK
(VCI = 12)

CR

(VCI = 104)
(VCI = 4)

(VCI = 4)

CR: Connection Request

OK : Connection Accept
22

Example 1: ATM Signalling

OK
(VCI = 12)

CR

(VCI = 104)
(VCI = 4)

OK

(VCI = 77) (VCI = 4)

CR: Connection Request

OK : Connection Accept
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Example 2: ATM Signalling

CR

CR: Connection Request

24

Example 2: ATM Signalling

CR
NO
CR: Connection Request
NO: Connection
Reject
25

Example 3: ATM Signalling

CR

CR: Connection Request

26

Example 3: ATM Signalling

CR

CR: Connection Request

27

Example 3: ATM Signalling

CR

CR: Connection Request

28

Example 3: ATM Signalling

CR

NO

CR: Connection Request

NO: Connection Reject
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Example 3: ATM Signalling

CR

NO

CR: Connection Request

NO: Connection Reject
30

Example 3: ATM Signalling

CR

NO

NO
CR: Connection Request
NO: Connection Reject
31

Summary
ATM

UNI and NNI signalling

specifications define the protocols
for connection setup and teardown
between ATM equipment (Version
4.0 soon)
Can support point to point and
multipoint connections
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Where to get more information

ATM

UNI 3.0 Specification

(now obsolete!)
ATM Forum
Fore Systems SPANS protocol
specification (Simple Protocol
for ATM Network Signalling)
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